Chapter 184: A Monthly Salary of Five Hundred Thousand

The atmosphere grew momentarily awkward until Ines Deleon and Aiden Burke, known for their amiable personalities, intervened.

"We've only met a few times," Ines said, sitting next to Isabella. "Have you forgotten us, Isabella? Haha I'm Ines Deleon. Remember me?" Her enthusiastic and outgoing nature, combined with the fact that the others at the table were four or five years older than Isabella, gave her teasing tone a playful quality. Isabella, however, found Ines' youthful appearance surprisingly younger than her own. Ines, a classic, sheltered rich young lady, possessed a naive innocence that made her naturally endearing. The last time Isabella had caused a scene, nearly injuring Ines, Ines' continued enthusiasm stemmed from Alexander's influence and her curiosity about Isabella's changed demeanor.

"I'm Aiden Burke," Aiden added, hugging Ines from behind. "Her boyfriend, and your husband's former college roommate." His handsome, cheerful demeanor masked a sensitivity born from his mother's early death and a succession of stepmothers. Before Ines, he'd been gloomy; their love-at-first-sight transformed him into what others called a "dummy lover"—a term of endearment for their intensely passionate and publicly affectionate relationship. Even with a long-distance period, their love remained strong, making them a beloved couple within their social circle.

"Hello. I remember you both," Isabella replied. "Your bond is still as strong as ever."

The only recent complication for Aiden and Ines, aside from Aiden's father's upcoming wedding and the subsequent return home, was planning their own impending marriage. They thrived on the admiration of their relationship, instantly warming to Isabella.

Ines grinned. "You two are getting along better now, too."

Alexander, who had been attuned to Isabella's thoughts, felt an inexplicable surge of joy at Ines' words. His expression softened subtly. The others at the table, initially surprised by Ines' impulsiveness, were stunned by Alexander's reaction. Isabella didn't contradict Ines; her efforts to avoid Alexander's displeasure were motivated by alimony. While Ines didn't intend any malice, Isabella anticipated potential awkwardness later with Eleanor, a close friend of Ines, who might notice the implication of her comment. The thought of Ines' flustered reaction amused Alexander. He secretly felt Isabella was bullying Ines, but lacked proof.

Aiden, remembering Eleanor's impending arrival, quickly changed the subject to spare Ines. "Do you remember the others? I can introduce you."

Isabella, having finished observing the couple, replied, "No need. I can manage. It's been a while. I'm Damien Winters."

The first to greet her was a refined gentleman with glasses—Damien, seated next to Aiden, with an amiable expression yet unfathomable gaze. He appeared to be the only single person at the table. After a brief greeting, Isabella abruptly turned to Deborah, a calm, elegantly dressed woman across from her, adorned with striking yet understated jewelry. Deborah, startled by Isabella's sudden attention, seemed puzzled. Damien shifted slightly at this unexpected turn of events.

Ines chuckled. "You remember Deborah? You heard she's soon to be Damien's cousin-in-law, didn't you? We'll all be at their wedding soon." Alexander recalled Isabella's earlier mention of someone whose crush was marrying their cousin. He remembered Damien's cousin's upcoming wedding, involving Deborah, a friend within their circle. Despite their shared social circles, their interactions had been minimal, even during university, making their connection seem coincidental.

Then, Isabella's thoughts reached Alexander: "Holy crap! Damien's been secretly in love with Deborah for almost a decade, but she sees him as a near stranger. Everyone thinks their connection is purely coincidental! Is Damien a secret agent?"

Shock washed over Alexander. He hadn't noticed, and neither had anyone else. Why hadn't Damien confessed? Isabella's thoughts continued: "Oh, I see… Good heavens… Forget it. Let him watch her marry someone else."

Alexander, unusually eager for gossip, pressed for an explanation.

Both Damien and Deborah looked at Isabella, puzzled by her peculiar gaze. Before an answer, however, someone else interrupted.

"Hey, remember me?" Clifford asked, his tone neither friendly nor hostile. He remembered Isabella's previous scolding and was curious to see her reaction. Isabella merely glanced at him before focusing on the girl beside him, Zendaya Hebert. Clifford’s interest was piqued.

"What are you looking at?" he demanded.

"Who is this?" Isabella asked.

"She's Zendaya Hebert," Clifford replied, omitting his girlfriend status. He subtly indicated Zendaya to greet Isabella.

The others' expressions shifted. Alexander, however, recognized Isabella’s previous thoughts. Zendaya was young but seemed to wear makeup deliberately to resemble a former classmate of theirs.

Isabella's thoughts echoed again: "Oh, she's his first crush's stand-in, huh? Holy crap! A monthly salary of five hundred thousand! What a… pretty good job! Wait. What? Haha… Clifford thinks she has feelings for him! She's just taking the money to hide her true feelings because of their agreement—he forbade her from falling in love with him! Seriously, where did he get his confidence? Pfft! She's almost done saving up, planning to end their collaboration once she gets her salary this month!"